I read an article about the more than 800 new laws that will take effect in California this year. Two particularly caught my interest.

1. Kennels and pet hotels are required to check on the animals once a day. They must also provide elevated platforms in cat enclosures. I guess this is to ensure that kitty gets its share of perches each day.

2. Denim is now declared as California’s official fabric. This is a recognition of the fabric’s role in the history of the state.

In 1853 Levi Strauss journeyed to San Francisco to make his fortune in the California Gold Rush. He became a businessman. The turning point came when the miners needed strong durable pants. In 1873, Levi and his partner invented the blue jeans.

The motif, and the mural of people planting rice are details from the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station in Singapore. The station was completed in 1932, and for a long time it was the main transportation for people travelling between Singapore and Malaysia.

My father and I were frequent passengers on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route, thus the station held lots of memories for me.

The building ceased operating as a train station in 2011, and was gazetted as a national monument.